Investigators seek public's help in search for CalArts student's murder suspect
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department homicide detectives are asking for the public's help to identify a person of interest in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Menghan Zhuang, who was a student at The California Institute of the Arts.
On Feb. 4, Santa Clarita deputies and fire personnel responded to a condominium complex in the city of Newhall for a person unresponsive call around 6:47 p.m.
Lt. Michael Modica said deputies found Zhuang inside her condo in the 21000 block of Nandina Lane with several injuries to her upper body. Fire personnel responded with medical aid, but she died at the scene.
Investigators said a man had arrived with Zhuang at the condo the night before on Feb. 3., and there is video of the same man exiting the condo through the second-story bedroom window on the afternoon of the day she was discovered.
During a Thursday news conference, investigators released a photo of the man they hope to identify and locate. Modica said he couldn't confirm if the suspect is a CalArts student or not. Homicide investigators believe that people in the area may have seen this person of interest.
"It is clear this is not a random act of violence, and Menghan somehow knew the person of interest, evidenced by bringing that person into her apartment," Modica said.
Investigators said Zhuang's roommate has been cooperative and helpful and is not a person of interest in this case.
Zhuang was a Chinese national, here on a student visa, and a senior at CalArts College in Valencia. She had been in the country for three and a half years.
CalArts issued the following statement: "The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has confirmed that Menghan Zhuang, whose preferred name was Emily King, has died off campus, and her death is being investigated as a homicide. Emily was an undergraduate in her fourth year at CalArts and a valued member of our community. Our community is devastated by this loss, and our heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, classmates and teachers. The death took place off campus, and the LASD has told us that there is no evidence of any threat to the CalArts community. CalArts is cooperating fully with the investigation."
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is set to approve a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for Zhuang's murder -- scheduled for the board's Tuesday, Feb. 18 meeting. The reward will be in effect, when approved, as of Thursday, Feb. 13, according to Modica.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the LA County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. To remain anonymous, call "Crime Stoppers" at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or visit the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
